When Royalty Beckons, Idiots Follow
by OortCloud
Summary: Haruhi is used to living a simple life, one with few luxuries and an overabundance of work, but she likes it that way. However, this way of living is destroyed when one day a group of mysterious, cloaked figures show up at her door, one of them even appearing to be her long-dead mother, Kotoko, who gives Haruhi news that will change her life forever.
1. An Unexpected Arrival

**Hello, everyone, and welcome to my first fanfic! I'm creating it with the most amazing person in the world, Miss Fae ( u/5515648/Myth-Magyk-Fae), and it's been pretty fun. Please check out her page, she also has this chapter up, as well as an awesome Fairy Tail fanfiction going on as well. Hope you enjoy! **

**Heya people! Welcome to my second fanfic. The person who has their message above mine is the beautiful, wonderful, and hilarious authoress I'm lucky enough to call my best friend! It's her first fanfic so be nice ( ; her account is Oort Cloud so if you're one of my readers, or just on my profile go look her up please. We'll be your co-authoresses for this story, I hope you all enjoy. Please review and if anyone has a request, problem, or anything else pm me!**

**Now then Kitty, the disclaimer so our asses aren't sued please: Yes, right. We in no way own or claim to own Ouran High School Host Club. All rights go to Bisco Hatori, the creator of this wonderful anime/manga. **

Haruhi strolled happily on her way home from school. It had been a relatively uneventful day (well, as calm as it can be around the host club), something she was grateful for. She felt at peace, tilting her head back and letting the sun warm her face. Perhaps she would take a nice long bath when she got home, or maybe prepare a snack and finally begin reading that books she's been meaning to start. Then again, she did have quite a bit of homework, and it would make the most sense to get it out of the way from the very start, not to mention that she needs to run to the market and pick up some seaweed and rice so she can prepare dinner later. Haruhi sighed, realizing that she'd probably be staying up late tonight again instead of getting proper sleep because of all the housework she had along with keeping her grades up. She tried not to let it bother her too much, and decided to do some of her schoolwork next to her favorite pond so she could relax a bit before returning home for a hectic night of work. Not like that was anything new, but she deserved a bit of a break, and she might as well relish this peaceful day. No use ruining it over something so silly as a little work.

Upon returning home, Haruhi immediately got down to business. Sitting by the pond had rejuvenated her, allowing her a few blissful, stress-free moments. Even the crowded market wasn't able to break the calmness that sitting in the park had brought her. As soon as she stepped foot through the door, though, all that evaporated, and her mind was completely preoccupied with nothing but chores. She almost missed the peacefulness, but she knew that very little would get done without at least a little bit of sweat and grime.

She had just finished setting out plates for dinner and rolling the rice balls in strips of seaweed when she heard a knock on the door. That's odd, Ryoji was usually home later than this. Oh well, at least this meant that they could start and finish dinner earlier. Maybe she would be able to get her homework out of the way before midnight today. She could certainly use with the extra sleep keeping up with the baka Host Club. Another knock came, more insistent this time. "Alright, hold on, I'm coming," Haruhi called, rushing to the front door. Ryoji must have forgotten his keys, which wasn't all that uncommon really, considering how careless he could be. Swinging open the door, Haruhi was met with one very nervous looking father and three hooded figures. A single beat passed as she looked, seemingly unphased, before Ryoji was suddenly yanked inside roughly, the door slamming in the faces of the threatening strangers. A yelp of surprise came from outside, followed by a loud banging against the door which resounded throughout the house like thunder. Haruhi leaned against the door, as if her tiny body would be enough to prevent one of the monsters outside from getting in. She turned to her stunned father who still sat in shock on the ground. In a calm, yet irritated voice she shouted at her father,"get the phone, dammit, and call the police!"

Ryoji blinked a few times, before jumping to his feet. "Haruhi, wait! They're not dangerous!"

She looks at him in disbelief and frustration, "What do you mean? Who are they, and why are they dressed like that?" Haruhi moved away from the door reluctantly, allowing her dad to rush forward and throw it back open again, murmuring what must have been an apology in some odd language. The group stepped in and lowered their hoods. There were two square-jawed men, flanking a slender woman. Something about her face seemed so familiar, but Haruhi knew it couldn't be who she thought it was. There was no way. She stood there, studying the lady, her slim figure, her short, brown hair, that soft smile. This must be an illusion, but it _was_ a beautiful deception, one that she would be happy to live in forever. Seeing that face made her unable to hold her facade, her normally sarcastic and strong personality. Acting as she did so long ago, the way she only ever would with one or two people; she leapt forward, throwing her arms around her mother and pulling her in close, bowing her head into the nook of her shoulder and squeezing her tight. It felt like she had her arms wrapped around her apparently deceased mother for a mere couple of seconds when she felt a gentle hand rest on her shoulder. She looked up at her father's face, and realized that her vision was blurry from tears that she hadn't even felt well up in her eyes.

"I think we ought to explain," he whispered hoarsely, leading the group into the kitchen. "I suppose you know by now that your mother isn't really dead," he began, wiping away tears of his own as he reached for his wife's hand.

"We're sorry for having kept you in the dark for so long." Kotoko's voice was just as calm and musical as Haruhi remembered it to be. "But you must understand that we had to. For you and your father's safety. There was an assassin you see, one that was far smarter and more dangerous than any our country had encountered before..." Kotoko trailed off, glancing up and meeting Haruhi's eyes briefly before flickering back down to her and Ryoji's enfolded hands. Haruhi felt like she must have inhaled some toxic gas. Assassin? Our country? What was that supposed to mean? Her mother must have somehow seen the masked confusion on her face, something only she had ever been able to do, because she quickly rushed into the rest of the explanation. "I know, it doesn't make sense right now, but, well, just listen. You see, we're royalty, Haruhi. I am the queen of a country, your father the rightful king, and you, the crown princess." Haruhi stared blankly, letting that whole convoluted sentence sink in. "We're royalty." Kotoko repeated gently once more, as if saying it enough times would make the whole situation seem less surreal. "Shortly after you were born, an assassin attempted to kill us. I was scared for you, darling. Both of you. Your father married into the crown, he wasn't used to court and figuring out who to trust. So we decided to move here until they caught the assassin. After a few years it came to the point where laws meant to prevent a monarch from ruling for too long took effect, and I, as crown princess, was forced to return and rule. Since I couldn't simply leave my country behind any longer, and the threat remained it was decided it would be best for you two to stay here. No one would suspect a small, not so well off family to have royal ties, after all. Now, however, the assassin has been captured, and it's finally safe for you two to return."

Haruhi didn't say anything and just let her gaze wander from one face to another, studying each intensely. Was this just some cruel joke? She craned her neck to look over at what must be her mother's guards, studying their faces to see if there was any hint of a smile, some indicator of a joke on those rough faces of theirs. She didn't see any. She turned back to her alleged mother.

"So," Ryoji spoke up, his voice still wavering, "we've decided to give you the choice of whether you would rather stay here, or return to our home country." Haruhi was suddenly aware of everyone's eyes watching her, and she felt her face flush. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Closing it, she licked her lips and opened it again. Finally, she managed to regain some composure and squeak out a trembling sentence.

"I..."


	2. Friends, Family, and Dumbasses

**Wow, this took way too long. Sorry guys! It's longer than the others, though, so I hope that makes up for it. Anyways, thanks to Miss Myth for being awesome and patient and not getting pissed at me because of my constant writer's block. For her, I give one big heart: 3 Now, onto Miss Myth herself! **

**Awww! Thank you Kitten-Imotou! Okay sorry its so late, but she worked SO hard on this chapter, and its definitely her best work yet. Thanks to all our readers for baring with us, I hope you all enjoy. PLEASE REVIEW!**

**We sadly (because really we could make it SO much more awesome {; ) do not own Ouran**

Haruhi felt hands pushing at her shoulder, shaking her awake from the surprisingly peaceful nap she had taken on the flight over to her home country, Domanda. Even thinking about the country made her heart quicken and breath catch. Blinking her eyes a few times, Haruhi glanced over to her right where her father sat, his hand still on her shoulder. "We're here," he told her, his eyes welling over in tears. She nodded, sitting up taller, prepared to face her past life and all it entailed. She felt a chill race up her back, the shock of her status as royalty and new responsibility returning. _Relax, _she ordered herself, _it'll be fine. It's not like you'll be forced to make any political decisions yet, anyways._ Haruhi took a deep breath, and then cleared her mind. _Just pretend you're walking through the school halls. It's no big deal. Just one foot in front of the other, right?_ Even with this small self-encouragement, she could still feel her knees tremble as she stood. She steadied them instantaneously, hoping no one noticed. One more breath and she was off the plane, walking through the private garage that jutted off from the side of the castle her new family lived in, head held high with big, confident steps. _There. No big deal._

Haruhi fell in love with the castle as soon as she stepped out of the garage's door and into the front lobby. Its pearl tiles shone brightly, gleaming in the midmorning light. Golden curtains hung against large windows that sat opposite the door with a pillow-covered camelback sofa in front of it, and a front door nearly as large opening to the front yard to Haruhi's right. A large staircase with off-white carpeting lead upstairs, with doorways leading deeper into the castle on both sides.

"Good day."

Haruhi swung her gaze from the golden chandelier hanging in the middle of the room to plump, old woman with snowy hair entering from the left entryway, a lithe, young lady-in-waiting as well as a fierce looking guard trailing behind her, both with matching auburn hair..

"Mother," Kotoko responded with a quick nod, a tight smile appearing on her face, "please, come meet your granddaughter!"

Haruhi stepped forward, hand extended to the old woman. "How are you?"

"Fine, dear. Just fine," her grandmother replied, pulling her down for a hug by her shoulders, "perfect, in fact!" She chuckled softly pulling back to study Haruhi's face. "My, but you do look just like your mother, just like I hoped you would." She sighed, eyes crinkling. "Ah, but how rude, to not even introduce myself! I'm your grandmother, Nori Fujioka. Oh, it's so good to see you, dear." Haruhi smiled, feeling her heart leap at the sudden acceptance of her new family. Or, at least, part of it.

"Yes, well, I'm afraid that I'll have to steal your granddaughter away for a bit," Kotoko interjected with the same fake smile spread across her face, "I'm afraid I'd like to show Haruhi her new room."

Haruhi looked up at her mother, feeling a pang of fear. She hadn't been alone with her yet, and she wasn't entirely sure what they were supposed to talk about. Could they really even talk about anything normal, considering their circumstances?

Haruhi followed Kotoko up the eggshell-colored stairs, taking a few deep breaths. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, her mother lead her down the left of a long hallway. Doors with golden knobs lined the hall, with various paintings and pictures hung up in between. There was also an unusually large amount of mahogany bed-side tables adorned with flowers lining the hallway. While Haruhi pondered why anyone would want so many little tables, and what purpose they could serve out here in the hall like this other than to hold flowers that were bound to die soon anyways, Kotoko spoke about the various rooms. Haruhi felt the soft music of her voice lull her into a peaceful reassurance, even though she wasn't listening to a single thing her mother was saying. The sweet harmony of her voice was enough in and of itself to keep her preoccupied, nevermind that actual words that were formed. They stopped outside a door near the very end of the hall.

"So, you see, that's why we have three bathrooms instead of four." Kotoko concluded with a smile. "Anyways, here's your room. I really wish it could have been closer to the stairs, but, well, I suppose we must deal with the cards dealt to us, yes?"

"Of course. Besides, who has time to complain, anyways?" Haruhi noted. Her mother nodded, her face softening. She looked at Haruhi for a brief moment, her eyes filled with a longing to say so many things, but instead of speaking, she turned briskly and flung the door open.

Haruhi looked around, feeling a mix of unease at such a richly decorated room, and giddiness. It was a bit snug, but it made up for its tightness in its sheer beauty. There were golden curtains that matched the ones downstairs that hung to the right of the doorway, underneath which was a mahogany desk to match the perplexing, little tables that sat outside. There was a bed with golden and cream sheets to the right, and a large mahogany wardrobe opposite the doorway with a small, glass table next to it, a silver vase with what roses placed elegantly in it.

Kotoko went over to the bed, sitting down gently, patting the space next to her. Haruhi sat down to where her mother had indicated she should, clasping her hands together and looking over at Kotoko.

"You know, Haruhi, I never wanted to send you and your father away," Kotoko said, her eyes shifting down to look at her hands that she had placed in her lap, "but, well, it was necessary. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. I supposed I should have told you that I was alive, but I didn't want you to try and find any information on me. I didn't want you to be endangered, was all."

Haruhi stared at the woman who was supposed to be deceased since before she was able to retain any memory, and couldn't feel any anger. How could she, after all these years?

"I know that it'll take a while for you to forgive us, but please understand that we had your well-being in mind the entire time." Kotoko continued. She glanced up shyly at her daughter, before returning her gaze back to her lap.

"I don't blame you," Haruhi responded.

Kotoko smiled, but it looked pained, having detected how Ranka had not been mentioned as having been forgiven.

* * *

><p>Nori Fujioko looked down at the message delivered to her by her personal guard, frowning. "Oh my, how bothersome," she murmured, crumpling the paper in her fist before tossing it into her lit fireplace. Sighing, she lifted herself out of her armchair, reaching for her cup of tea. Her personal guard, a tall, muscular man with a beard, stood at the closed door, ready for any order given to him. Nori beckoned him closer.<p>

"Listen closely, dear," she said softly, as if afraid that there might be ears pressed against the walls of the neighboring rooms, straining to hear all they could, "keep a close eye on the girl, won't you? She's so independent, or so her mother says. It's important you do so, or so this letter says. It won't do us any good if she were to be hurt, now, would it?" Nori shook her head. "No, it simply wouldn't do."

* * *

><p>"Tamaki, just who I was looking for!" Yuzuru announced as the blonde boy and the other hosts entered the room. "You see-"<p>

Although Tamaki tried his best to keep his composition, he couldn't help but break down for a second. "WHERE IS MY PRECIOUS HARUHI?!" He sobbed loudly flailing his arms wildly. "WHERE COULD SHE-"  
>"What he means is that we are all very distressed about the sudden disappearance of one of our most popular hosts. It would only be decent of you to tell us where it is, exactly, that she went." Kyoya interrupted, slapping his palm over Tamaki's mouth.<p>

"Ah, yes, the exact reason why I wanted to see you," Yuzuru responded, looking with a bit of shock at his son, startled by his wild outburst. He was used to Tamaki acting more serious around him, after all.

Tamaki, having regained his composure, pushed Kyoya's hand away. "No time to talk, we need to go find Haruhi _now_."

"Ah, yes, but of course." Yuzuru chuckled, glad that the hosts were willing to seek out the departed student. "You see, I'm afraid she's traveled to a whole other country. I know this appears shocking to you, but, well, I've arranged for you all to take a trip of your own.."

* * *

><p>The hosts stepped off of the Suoh's private jet, blinking in the bright sunlight of Domanda. "Well, here we are," noted Kyoya, scanning the area, "I've been doing some research. Apparently this country's capital is called Sconosciuto. Quite the odd name, if you ask me. Means 'unknown' in Italian, I believe. Anyways, I suggest that we search there first, especially since it's only a few miles away from here."<p>

Tamaki sprinted past the other men, leaping forward with tears streaming down his face, shrieking "DON'T WORRY, BABY, DADDY'S COMING!" Kasanoda, Kaoru, and Hikaru sprinted after him, while Kyoya, Mori, and Honey opted to take a taxi.

* * *

><p>The taxi stopped on a curb where the three hosts and Kasanoda had stopped after finally running out of steam. After the other three hosts exited the cab. "Come on, then," Kyoya said, "we're going Haruhi-hunting."<p>

"How are we gonna find her?" asked Honey, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Simple. I doubt that she owns any property here, considering her financial position, so we can only assume that she's staying at a hotel of some sort." Kyoya turned and walked down the sidewalk, passing by the brightly-colored shops lining its sides. The other hosts followed, Tamaki trailing wearily behind the group, shoulders slumped and head hanging low.

"Now," Kyoya began, "I've mapped out the cheapest hotels in this city. It would make the most sense if we started-"

"HARUHI!" Tamaki shrieked, leaping past the others, suddenly rejuvenated. He sprung forward, flying across the pavement towards the back of a young, short-haired lady. Kyoya looked on with

surprise and slight disgust at having his plan interrupted.

Suddenly, a large, muscular arm rammed into the side of Tamaki's face, stopping him in his tracks with a slight grunt. The burly man to whom the hand the hand belonged to leaned down, slapping some cuffs on the blonde, before quickly and silently dragging him into a nearby car. The lady turned around, revealing that she was, indeed, Haruhi, looking on with surprise and annoyance.

"What the hell," she hissed silently, "I thought I told the principal to not let anyone follow me!" A red-haired girl next to her murmured something comforting, reaching out to take her hand and then attempting to pull her away from the scene. Another girl with a darker shade of red hair and stepped protectively in front of her, arms spread wide to block in an attempt to block any more attempts. The boys, however, had come out of their initial shock and all leapt forward at once, screaming out their missing friends name. The twins lead the pack of wild hosts, working together to push past the green-eyed guard in front of her and grabbing Haruhi by her forearms and hoisting her over their shoulders for a second before two more bodyguards appeared from out of the crowd, quickly muffling their surprised cries with their hands and then hauling them over to their cars as Haruhi was ushered away by the auburn-haired duo.

"You can't do this!" Kasanoda yelped, struggling against the mens' grip as he was dragged off. "Haruhi, wait! I-" he called out, before being cut short by a car door slamming in his face.

* * *

><p>"How did they even find me so quickly? It's not like they would know that I lived in the castle!" Haruhi cried in an exasperated voice, flopping onto the bed, next to where her lady-in-waiting and new-found friends, Artemis and Atsuko, sat.<p>

"Perhaps your mother thought you were a bit lonely," Atsuko offered, resting her tan hand on top of Haruhi's shoulder, "it is nice to have friends close by, is it not?"

"No," Haruhi responded bluntly, "it isn't. Not when you have the kind of friends I have, anyways." She paused for a second, thinking about the scene earlier that day. She really hadn't been surprised, she had expected them to follow. She was just annoyed that they had come so soon. Couldn't she enjoy even two days to herself and her new life? Haruhi frowned, instantly feeling guilty for trying to ignore her past life so quickly. "Hey, let's give them a call. Give them a chance to rest easy tonight on some soft beds rather than in a cold dungeon."

Haruhi and Atsuko rung up the men who were currently guarding the holding cells. Artemis, objecting to letting the obnoxious boys off the hook so easily, refused to partake in such a sign of mercy. Upon reaching the guards, the two girls asked to speak with the prisoners. Haruhi smiled, pleased that she was actually able to refer to the hosts as prisoners. The thought of Kyoya sitting in a dusty corner with old, worn clothes made her smile the most, even though she did feel a prick of shame for finding so much pleasure in someone else's pain. _Ah, well. Schadenfreude can be good in small doses, right? _

"HARUHIIIII," Tamaki whined as soon as he was on the phone, "HARUHI COME SAVE USSSSSS!"

"Dammit, Tamaki! Hand the phone over!" Haruhi heard Kyoya's voice snap

"Mommy, make baby get us out of this filthy place!" Tamaki pleaded, voice growing faint.

Haruhi heard Kyoya sigh, then speak roughly into the telephone. "Look, I know you probably aren't very happy with quite a few of us, Haruhi. But there's no need to let the rest suffer for the transgressions of a few. Surely even you can agree with that much."

Haruhi tugged at her phone's cord a bit, thinking carefully. "I don't know, Kyoya," Haruhi responded, "it's sorta nice to have this kind of power. Maybe I should let you stay there. After all, you did break the law." She heard a soft huff of impatience before Kyoya spoke again.

"Alright. I see how it's going to be. I can't blame you, really. What is it that you want, then?"

Haruhi smiled, feeling a spark of excitement at finally having some power over the bossy host. "Well, that debt is certainly putting a damper on my time here, you know. As is Tamkai's tendency to get a bit too touchy-feely in emotional times such as these."

"Why would you even dare to ask for such ludicrous things!" Kyoya's voice was and indignant snap, voice cracking with anger. "Especially now that apparently have so much wealth! You could easily pay us back the debt you owe, and yet you're willing to ask for such a thing? And to ask that I restrain Tamaki tomorrow, that's simply impossible! I feel like I ought to laugh at the pure stupidity of-"

"Fine." Haruhi cut in. "Have fun sleeping tonight. I'm sure that after such emotional distress, Tamaki will need someone to cuddle with, though. I'm sure you'll be fine with that, considering how you don't seem all too keen on staying on my good side." Atsuko was laughing silently next to her, chest heaving as she tried her best to keep quiet.

"I...Fine. Very well. I'll abide by your requests." The dark-haired host sounded utterly defeated, and Haruhi relished the sound, storing away the rare treasure.

"Good. I'll call the guards after deciding who else to let up." Haruhi slammed the phone down quickly. Atsuko fell onto Haruhi's, laughing heartily.

"Oh, his voice! Oh, m'lady, how upset he sounded!"

"He sounded on the verge of tears!" Artemis added with a laugh, coming over to sit on the bed. "Though, if I'm to be honest, I'd rather they all suffer in the dark cells. Especially that pompous little cry-baby that was just on the phone. Nevertheless, it was worth it."

"It was good, wasn't it? Now, let's see who else we should let have a good night sleep," Haruhi said with a grin.

"If I may," Atsuko began shyly, "the short, blonde one, he seemed so young, didn't he? We ought to show some mercy to a mere child, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah, you're right," Haruhi agreed, "even if Honey appears younger than he is, he's still a bit too...soft, I suppose, to stay a night in prison. I suppose we ought to let Mori come up as well, then." Seeing Atsuko's confused expression, Haruhi quickly explained. "Mori's the tall one. Very silent. Tan, dark hair, square jaw. That guy."

Atsuko clapped her hands like a happy child. "Ah, yes, quite the candy that one is! Oh, if we're going by who we see as most blessed genetically, let's go with the red-haired one, if i may suggest." She giggled, "I have a thing for tough looking guys, you see."

Artemis sniffed slightly. "He didn't look so tough to me." Atsuko huffed, crossing her arms and pouting.

"Oh, please. You just like him because he reminds you of that one celebrity you're always fawning over!" Artemis teased.

"Hush! You're a know-nothing!" Atsuko cried out, tugging at Artemis' long hair playfully. "I'm sure Haruhi will agree that our boys are the toughest of the tough! Right?" The lady-in-waiting turned to Haruhi expectantly.

Haruhi felt her face heat up slightly at the misunderstanding. "No, no, I don't want Mori to come up because I find him attractive or anything, I just, well, he sorta need to be with Honey." Haruhi's cheeks flushed even more when Atsuko gave her a look that suggested she knew something not even Haruhi knew. "Well, let's move on." Haruhi said quickly. "So, we'll let Kyoya, Mori, Honey, and Kasanoda out. Is that it?"

"Yes. Let the rest rot in jail." Atsuko giggled, Artemis finally giving in and laughing along.

* * *

><p>Nekozawa sat in a dingy little room, hunched over, knees pressed against his chest. His puppet sat on his hand, head bobbing slightly, as if to mimic movements made during speech. "Yes, yes, I know. I shouldn't worry. I know. It's no use. No use," the blonde-boy whispered hoarsely, the puppet's movement's becoming more erratic. "I hope they found it. I hope they found it. I hope they did...I miss my sister..."<p>

Suddenly, a muffled sound of a phone ringing sounded from outside the room, cutting off Nekozawa's desperate chanting. Springing to his feet, he rushed from outside the dark little hovel, leaping forward and grabbing at the telephone mid-ring. "Have you found it?" He asked, voice catching slightly. He knew he shouldn't get his hopes too high, it would only hurt more. But he had waited so long, and he couldn't bare the thought of waiting any longer. A soft voice spoke, whispering something in a urgent tone. "Yes! Yes, I see, I'll be there right away! Thank you, thank you." Nekozawa slammed the phone down, reinvigorated at the good news.


	3. Reactions

**PHEW. I am not very good with setting description, it took me so long to do this. Oh well, it was fun!**

**AWWWWW POOR KAT! I gave her a part she wan't so good... she pouted SO KAWAIIIIIII sorry Imouto {;**

**We don't own Ouran... too bad.**

The soft pat of Haruhi's shoes echoed throughout the empty hallway leading from her bedroom to the main stairway. Arte and Atsuko had been in a rush that morning, excited about a tour that Kotoko was planning on taking the guests on, and so they were a bit more gentle in waking her up, too rushed to do it properly. Not that Haruhi was going to bring this to their attention.

Stepping off the stairs and into the main lobby, Haruhi was overcome by the sweet scent of chocolate chip pancakes and sausages wafting in from the kitchen. Taking the hallway to the right of the stairway, Haruhi entered the vast dining room, complete with with complete with an unnecessarily large dining table, adorned with a lace tablecloth. Haruhi groaned inwardly, knowing that she would have to be exceedingly careful to not get any stains on it. _I miss the filthy life of a commoner already._

"HARUHI!" shrieked Tamaki, leaping up from his place on the right of the table, surrounded on all sides by the other hosts and Kasanoda. Kyoya instantly reached up, yanking him back down into his seat by the collar. Tamaki let out a choked, gurgling noise as he continued to try to pry himself free from Kyoya's grasp, though no one seem to noticed, as all eyes were fixed on Haruhi expectantly. Even Artemis and Atsuko, who were sitting in seats opposite the boys, looked up at her with curious gazes. Haruhi sighed, sitting to Atsuko's left. "Alright, I'm guessing you all have questions."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Honey asked, looking up at Haruhi with a hurt expression. "It's not nice to hide things from your friends, y'know."

"I didn't know, or else I would have," Haruhi replied reassuringly, suddenly feeling guilty. She would have to learn to harden herself up more, it wouldn't do to be manipulated so easily.

"Oh, sure. Then what's with the whole leaving-us-behind-to-die-of-worry thing?" Hikaru snapped before turning away from her, glaring into the distance.

"Yeah, that was really cruel." Kaoru agreed, turning in the opposite direction, brows furrowing as he frowned deeply.

"Look, I just wanted to test the waters. I knew if I told you, you would follow me. Granted, the plan to keep it a secret backfired, but…" Haruhi trailed off, realizing no one was convinced. "I just wanted to spend some time with my mom, alright?" she muttered, shifting in her chair slightly.

There was an uneasy silence, before Kyoya spoke up. He looked like he was in pain, as if his over-the-phone defeat was still troubling him, but his voice remained even. "Your mother explained everything to us after you left. Your reaction was...understandable. I'm sure we all would have acted just as irrationally if one of our dead relatives were to pop up on our doorstep." Kasanoda shuddered slightly at the mention of Kotoko.

"Your mother seems just as protective as your father," Kasanoda noted quietly, "though she is far more skilled at convincing others to leave you be." He shuddered again, grimacing slightly.

Haruhi smiled lightly, feeling pride for her mother, before turning to Atsuko and Artemis. "Where did you two disappear to yesterday after I left to escort Nekozawa, anyways?" she asked. That whole day was very odd, especially after she left Nekozawa at the infirmirary. When she had returned, the hosts were being escorted away by guards, their faces paler than usual, and her ladies-in-waiting were no where to be found. Her grandmother, however, had apparently been waiting for her, and sat her down so they could talk while having tea. She remembered how nice it was, sitting on a couch with the light of the setting sun giving the world an orange tinge. Her grandmother's white hair looked as if it were covered in twinkling embers, and her eyes twinkled gleefully. She spoke softly, voice cracking every now and then, like the pops of an open fire place. Haruhi couldn't help but feel at ease next to such a graceful person. She had spent the afternoon with her grandmother, and the rest was spent trying to find the two girls, but they seemed to have disappeared until morning.

"You're grandmother sent us off to buy a whole bunch of things for this mornings breakfast which, by the way, you missed, sleeping beauty," Artemis noted, reaching over to prod Haruhi's arm with her spoon.

"Yeah, it was a huge pain! She made us get a lot of weird things too, like apple jam. I didn't even know that was a thing!" Atsuko piped up. She sounded annoyed, but also a bit wondrous, as if she still couldn't get over the revelation that apples could, in fact, be turned into jam. "She also-"

"Good morning, dear!" Kotoko cooed as she entered the room, arms spread wide as she enveloped her daughter in a tight hug. "How'd you sleep?'

The boys cowered away from her slightly, focusing intently on the crumb-filled plates in front of them. "Fine, thank you." Haruhi replied giving a small hug back.

"Oh, I see you were late to breakfast. I could have the cooks make you something or-"

"It's fine," Haruhi said hurriedly, "I'm still full from dinner. It's alright."

Kotoko smiled softly before turning to face everyone equally, hands clasped together. "Alright, who's ready to explore the city?"

* * *

><p>Haruhi drank in Sconosciuto eagerly, relishing the old fashioned buildings with red roofs and a variety of lightly-colored walls. Haruhi personally liked the ivory and tan ones better, since they gave off a more simple, classical feel to them. The shutters on most of the buildings were flung wide open, filling the streets with a soft chatter from inside the old stores and homes. The cobbled streets were filled with pedestrians, and were lined with black, metal fences, baskets of flowers hanging off of the bars. Tamaki hovered protectively near Haruhi, their shoulders brushing lightly. He learned to keep as large a distance as he possibly could manage in his state of excitement after the first couple of times he was smacked by either Kyoya, Haruhi, or Artemis.<p>

"Oh, look over there!" Artemis cried excitedly, pointing to one of the few builidngs with blue painted walls as well a dark blue roof. "That place has the best tea in the world! And their pastries aren't half bad either." She looked over at Haruhi with pleading eyes, tugging at her sleeve slightly.

Haruhi sighed, but allowed herself to be dragged away, giving a small wave to the bodyguards that kept a watch from the distance. One of them broke away from the group of three, leaving the front of the store where Kotoko had entered.

Behind the building, a small, wooden fence blocked off a deep forest, its trees growing close together, pressing and pushing against one another in a slow battle for more sunlight. Haruhi paused, knowing that a smaller village sat just opposite the woods. Kotoko wanted her daughter to experience the city life, but Haruhi couldn't help but feel a bit curious about what the rest of the country's life was like. Motioning for Atsuko and Artemis to cover for her, Haruhi grabbed Mori, Honey, and Kyoya, dragging them towards the broken down fence while Atsuko race over to distract the bodyguard, bombarding him with questions about the scent of a cheap perfume, spraying it wildly in the air.

"What are you doing?" Kyoya snapped, glancing back nervously at the store that Kotoko had entered.

"Learning more about the country, of course." Haruhi responded calmly, quickly hopping over the fence before bolting towards the forest. "I'd like to get to know a bit more about it and the people's views on my family."


	4. Sorry!

**Hey readers! Miss Fae here! Sorry for Imouto's forgetfulness/business. We are NOT dead! **

_**Or we might be. Depends on your point of view, really.**_

**KAT! ...Anyways, we apologize for the delays in posting... RIGHT, KAT?**

_**Depends on your definition of 'apologize'. But yes.**_

***sigh* Kat...**

_**Sup.**_

**Okay, well since she won't say it, I will. We will be posting every other week from now on. I am too busy running clubs and applying to colleges and Kat is too busy... I don't know, being Kat?**

_**How rude! I do plenty of things! I'll have you know that I've been very busy teleporting bread for the last few days. **_

**...Anyways, bye! Thanks for reading. Review our chapters, PM us, and have fun!**


	5. A Day in the Sun

**AN: Hey, sorry again about all the recent changes! This chapter is dedicated to PonyGrim for keeping us out of trouble. Many thanks, dearest friend! Also, we're starting a mini contest. Whoever leaves a review that makes us smile or laugh the most wins! They don't really win anything important, or even tangible, but hey y'know it's something. Maybe I'll give you a virtual hug and kiss on the cheek. **

**She means we will do something related to our fanfic, most likely a dedication, shout out, or if you have a story possibly telling our readers to check it out. LOL Imotou gets ahead of herself and forgets to explain things sometimes (;**

**We don't own Ouran (I wish) But enjoy our Fanfic!**

Nekozawa, in full daylight, stood before the group, smiling with a crazy glint in his eyes as if the world was on fire and he was the one who made it that way. Haruhi stared up at him in complete shock, staring up at the typically hooded figure standing without fear in the light.

"Nekozawa," she began hesitantly, "how…?"

"Did I get my wig to look so good?" he interrupted quickly, bouncing slightly in excitement. "Well, if you truly care to know, I-"

"No, how are you able to stand outside like this without a hood!" snapped Haruhi. Although she had already been spoiled by surprising calmness of her friends over the last couple of days, this sudden return to chaos usually expected from the Host club and their acquaintances wasn't something she was entirely sure she wanted to deal with at this moment. Or ever again, for that matter.

Neko continued to smile, raising a finger and waving it in the air. "Ah, but you see, those things are connected. My hair, as I've kindly pointed out to you, no longer resembles a wig. It looks quite realistic, wouldn't you agree?" He paused, waiting for a response that never came. Slightly miffed but determined as ever, he continued: "Well, this is simply a side effect. You see, your country is quite renowned for its scientific studies. In the last few years, it's made quite a few astounding medical leaps, particularly those in the field of genetics, and the altering of them. Long story short, I've become your country's personal guinea pig in testing new methods that actually change the genetic structure by inserting a virus of sorts in the cells' nucleus. Very complicated, I'm sure. I'd be able to tell you for certain if I actually paid attention, but alas, I was too preoccupied by the fact that it's actually working. Short story shorter, here I am, in the light of day, happier and healthier than ever! For short time periods, anyways." Neko nodded, his lengthy monologue completed.

Haruhi nodded slightly, somewhat satisfied, thought the rest of the group seemed to have been lost in the tedious speech, shuffling their feet silently as they stared up at the dark-haired man with blank stares.

"Well, I'm glad that you're disease is being cured. It's good to know that you'll be near me and my family, as well. That way, we can make sure you're properly taken care of," Haruhi noted, "speaking of taking care of you, you seem pretty tired. How long have you been out here, anyways?"

Nekozawa frowned slightly, gaze shifting to the left. "Ah, yes. Well, I haven't really been keeping track. I got a bit carried away, I suppose." Beelzenef's head drooped slightly, its painted eyes somehow taking on a regretful look.

Haruhi let out a small huff before putting a hand gently on his shoulder. "Come on then," she ordered roughly, "it's best to get you home." Looking over her shoulder as she lead Neko away, Haruhi waved her friends on, signaling them that it would be alright for them to go on. Arte paused, staring after the two as they walked down the sidewalk, before turning to follow the others.

Haruhi and Neko took a different route to the palace, one shaded more thoroughly by trees growing along the sides of the path. Some of the guards slowly fell in line behind them, a bit closer than they had been at the beginning of the day trip, obviously intent on keeping a closer eye on the princess this time around now that they had found her.

"I wish you'd be a bit less reckless with this whole thing," Haruhi snapped, finally breaking the thick silence. "How do you think your sister would feel if your condition suddenly got worse just because you can't follow the doctor's orders?"

Nekozawa's shoulders slumped, head bowed, mimicking the puppet sitting solemnly on his hand. "You're right. I acted like an idiot, and if she suffers, it's my fault. I guess my head got so big that I forgot how to act sensibly…" Haruhi could've sworn his lips were beginning to tremble. She hesitantly reached out, patting his back awkwardly.

"It's fine. You just have to be more careful next time, okay? Don't get too far ahead of yourself."

Neko nodded, looking up at this willow-tree branches that were hanging over the edge the barred the paved walkway from the reaching forest. The buildings were beginning to get more spread out, shops slowly turning into cozy little homes with patches of grass and stone paths dividing them. They walked in silence for a while until the right side of the royal palace came into view. It resembled the town buildings in that it had pale tan walls, but unlike any of the other shops or homes, it had a pale blue roof and lining. It wasn't a huge difference, but enough to make it stand out against its surroundings, especially considering its impressive size.

"Come on, let's hurry up. The sooner we get you inside, the better," Haruhi urged, turning around to tug a jacket away from one of the confused guards, throwing it over Nekozawa's head. Grabbing his arm, she yanked him along the path that slowly grew wider and wider as they made their way closer to the mansion.

LINE

The mansion's clinic was an average-sized room, with white walls lined with informational posters, a clinic bed pressed against the wall opposite the doorway, shelves lining the right and left walls, with a sink on the left. Another door entered from the left towards an emergency surgery room, though Haruhi wasn't all that eager to peek inside it. Haruhi dragged Neko over to the bed despite his protests against it.

"Honestly, now," Haruhi grumbled, "just because you're better doesn't mean you're ready to go running all over the place! You'd think you'd have better sense than that."

"You were the one who dragged me to the castle!" Neko whined, clearly tired from his longest time spent outside. His eyelids drooped lazily, and Beelzenef swung back anf forth in long, slow motions, as if attempting to hypnotize Haruhi into leaving the weary duo to suffer alone.

Haruhi looked around, searching for a doctor or a nurse to take over her babysitting job for the time being. "Where are the people who work here?" she muttered before sitting herself beside Neko. "Oh well, guess we'll have to wait here for them until they arrive. So, what have you been doing since last night besides nearly kill yourself?"

Nekozawa let his head fall back against the window sill with a soft thunk, eyes closed and chest rising and lowering softly, a soft snore coming from his mouth. Haruhi stared at him for a bit, wondering whether she should wake him up just to get revenge for how rude he was in falling asleep mid-conversation, but in the end decided he deserved the nap. Hopping off the bed, she pulled Neko's legs down, stretching him out across the bed with a slight grunt, cradling his head so that it fell softly against the pillow. Stepping back, Haruhi looked for a second at the sleeping man before quietly leaving the room.


End file.
